OVERCOMING ANGER When
it was bedtime, Narada noted carefully the place where Devala lay and the
position of the door, and then lay down. But when Devala lay down, instead
of lying down in his proper place, he lay down directly across the
doorway. The result was that when Narada went out at night, he trod on
Devala's matted locks. Thereupon Devala cried out, "Who is treading
on my locks?" Narada replied, "Teacher, it is I." "False
ascetic," said Devala, "You come from the forest and tread on my
locks." "Teacher, I did not know that you were lying here; please
pardon me." Narada then went out, leaving Devala weeping as if his heart
would break. Devala thought to himself, "I will not let him tread on me
when he comes in also." So he turned around and lay down, placing his head
where his feet had been before. When Narada came in, he thought to
himself, "The first time I injured the teacher, this time I will go in past
his feet." The result was that, when Narada entered, he trod on Devala's
neck. Thereupon Devala cried out, "Who is that?" Narada replied,
it is I teacher." "False ascetic," said Devala, "The first
time you trod on my locks. This time you tread on my neck. I will
curse you." "Teacher, I am not to blame. I did not know that you
were lying in this position. When I came in I thought to myself, "The
first time I injured the teacher, this time I will go in past his feet.' Please
pardon me." "False ascetic, I will curse you. "Do not so,
teacher." But Devala paying no attention to what Narada said, cursed him
all the same, saying, "May your head split into seven pieces at
sunrise." Now Narada, perceiving that the curse
would fall back on his brother-ascetic, he felt compassion for him, and
therefore put forth the power of his meditation and prevented the
sunrise. When the sun did not rise, the king had
intervene and ask Devala to apologise. Devala refused. Then said Narada to
Devala, "teacher, I will put forth my power of meditation and make the sun
to rise. At the moment of sunrise please keep a lump of clay on your head
and submerge in water and rise in different places as you go your way." As
soon as the sun's rays touched the lump of clay on his head, it divided into
seven pieces. Thereupon Devala ducked in water, and came up in a
different place, and ran away. When the Buddha had
given his instruction, he said, "monks, at that time the king was Ananda,
Devala was Tissa, ans Narada was myself, when at that time he was
obstinate." The Buddha advised them not to keep thought of enmity, for this
could be only appeased by thought of friendliness.
*
* * * *
mam- me; akkocchi - (he) insulted;
mam - me avadhi - (he) assaulted;
mam- me; ajini: (he) defeated;
ahasi: (he) robbed;
me: my (belongings);
ye: those who;
tam: such thoughts;
na upanayhanti:
does not constantly return to;
tesam - their;
veram - enmity;
sammati - ceases. Living
in human society, people often quarrel with one another. When such
conflicts occur, people often keep thinking about the wrongs done to them by
others. When that happens, their anger tends to grow. But in those
who forgive and forget the wrongs done to them, anger quickly vanishes.
They are then at peace.
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